Do universities reproduce inequality or can they disrupt it? (Chris Furlong/Getty)
In 2005, almost one in five full-time students and 42% of students studying through distance learning dropped out after one year of studying.
Shockingly, 10 years later, at least a third of the group of full-time students and three-quarters of their distance- learning counterparts had dropped out.
These were some of the results of a comprehensive cohort study of first-year students, who were tracked over a 10-year period in a bid to find out how many students dropped out, and how many continued their studies.
According to the report on drop-outs, which was compiled by the department of higher education, the drop-out rate for distance-mode studies “is unacceptably high.”
It stated: “When comparing the throughput of cohorts undertaking their studies in contact mode to those in distance mode it becomes apparent that students studying through distance education take a very long time to complete and the vast majority of them never complete their qualification before dropping out.”
The report stated that distance education was “failing dismally” and that, although access had increased dramatically through enrolments, “the chances of success are minimal with only 14.8% of students in the 2005 undergradu- ate cohort in distance education pro- grammes graduating after 10 years of study”.
At least 115 311 first-year students were enrolled in 2005.
“They [institutions] need to identify productive interventions to improve the efficiency of the higher education system. As a country, we cannot afford to waste human potential nor to invest so much in our youth with such low chances of graduating successfully,” the report stated.
There was a marked difference in the drop-out and through-put rates in contact and distance education, the report showed.
It highlighted the need for “further research to properly understand the reasons behind the very poor chances of success for students registered on distance education programmes”.
“It is critical that further research and data analytics are undertaken to identify possible interventions, especially if it is contemplated that distance education and open learning could be utilised to grow enrolments in the system in line with the requirements of the National Development Plan,” the report stated.
The study also found that equity was “still a critical issue” for the system and that Indian and white students out-performed their African and coloured counterparts in three-year diplomas and degrees, as well as in degrees that were four years or more.
In 2008, the drop-out rate of white students after the first year of study was 15.1% compared with 19.7% for Indian students. In contrast, 23.7% of African students and 25.9% of coloured students had dropped out after their first year.
The study found that those studying medicine performed the best out of all qualifications.
“Competition for spaces [in medicine] is high and student places are limited. Universities therefore select the best-performing students from the schooling system for entry.”
According to the study, the highest drop-out rate was among students doing business studies.
“While business studies lags fairly behind all other fields of study, institutions need to look carefully at their data, identify blockages and programmes to improve student success.”
It continued: “It is imperative that access to higher education is matched with a reasonable chance of success.”